Darren Clarke is remarkably candid in his assessment of triumphing at the Open. "It was one of those things in sport I wasn't supposed to win. I'm 42, supposedly with my best days behind me, but I proved a few people wrong," he said.

After years of seeking a major breakthrough, Clarke kept his nerve to clinch his maiden major title with a three-shot victory at Royal St George's in July.

An emotional Clarke dedicated his victory to his sons Tyrone and Conor and his late wife Heather - who died in 2006 from breast cancer.

The 43-year-old fired a final-round 70 to finish five under par and hold off Americans Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.

Clarke, playing in his 20th Open Championship, became the first winner from the UK since Paul Lawrie in 1999 and the first man from Northern Ireland to win it since Fred Daly in 1947.

CARL DORAN BLOG

It is one of the strongest fields I have ever seen during my time on the show and the race itself is too close to call